Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Camp

Are you looking for an incredible singletrack vacation?

How about getting out on some of the best, most lush trails in the Southern Appalachians? We created this camp to showcase the epic trails that surround Mulberry Gap in Ellijay, Georgia. In addition to our traditional skills instruction, each day will give you a great taste of what riding in the Blue Ridge area is all about … beautiful scenery, climbs that challenge you and huge, tree-lined descents that flow for miles. There is really nothing else like this trail system and it should be on everyone’s mountain bike bucket list.

But just don’t take our word for it!

Mountain Bike Action Magazine has this to say about the trails in Ellijay: “Spectacular! The place is loaded with fun and flow single track with mostly reasonable climbs and fast descents. Trails are beginner friendly but far from boring for expert riders. Extensive tree coverage provides shade and deflection of the rain. These are the greenest, lushest forests we have ever had the pleasure to ride in (beating out Oregon’s King-Castle Trail for the honor). In the cooler months of fall, the trees shed their leaves to let the sun warm the trails.”

And Pinkbike says, “This place is stunning….From the front steps of your cabin, you have immediate access to upwards of 80 miles of grassy, leaf covered singletrack, 25 miles of which is the famed Punhoti Trail.”

The trails aren’t the only drool worthy thing in Ellijay.

The cabins at Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Get-A-Way are also out of this world. This unique, family-owned and operated mountain bike base camp is set on a beautiful terraced plot of land in the Appalachian forest, surrounded by old-growth trees. According to Dirt Rag Magazine, the proprietors “get” mountain bikers and “cater to bikers’ needs with features such as never-ending plates of home cooked meals, hot showers, hot tubs, bike wash, rec room, laundry room, wi-fi and a camp store with bike goods and a nice craft beer selection.” It’s all about pre-ride breakfast, through-ride refuel, and the post-ride experience.

General Camp Schedule and Details:

(Day 1) Friday:

— 8:30am — Breakfast @ Mulberry Gap (separate reservation required)

— 9:45am — Meet at Trail Head

— 10:00am-12:00pm — Camp Overview, Brief Bike Safety Check / Bike Set-up Review (tire pressure, cockpit set-up, suspension set-up), Morning Skills Session (mind skills, ready position, effective braking, and fluid shifting)

— 12:00-1:00pm — Lunch Break @ Mulberry Gap (separate reservation required)

— 1:00pm-3:30pm — Afternoon Skills Session (high speed cornering, climbing, wheel lifts, and how to get out of trouble)

— 3:30 — Free time! Official on-bike camp training is done for the day. Use your free time however you’d like: ride, shower, eat, explore.

— 6:00pm — Dinner @ Mulberry Gap (separate reservation required)

(Day 2) Saturday

— 8:30am — Breakfast @ Mulberry Gap (separate reservation required)

— 9:45am – Arrival at Trail Head

— 9:00am – 12:00pm — Morning Skills Session: (brief review of Day 1 skills followed by new skills like switchbacks, drops, bunny hops, rock dodge, technical climbs and descents)

— 12:00-1:00pm — Lunch Break @ Mulberry Gap (separate reservation required)

— 1:00pm – 4:00pm — Afternoon Riding Session (practice what you’ve learned out on the trails)

— 4:00 — Free time! (Official on-bike camp training is done for the day. Use your free time however you’d like: ride, shower, eat, explore.)

— 6:00pm — Dinner @ Mulberry (separate reservation required)

(Day 3) Sunday

— 8:30am — Breakfast @ Mulberry Gap (separate reservation required)

— 9:45am — Arrival at Trail Head

— 9:00am – 12:00pm — Morning skills session (brief review of Day 2 followed by new skills like, track stand/balance, tail whip, dynamic weight shift, intro to jumping, and pumping)

— 12:00-1:00pm — Lunch Break @ Mulberry Gap (separate reservation required)

— 1:00pm – 3:00pm — Afternoon Riding session (Putting it all together with emphasis on efficiency and flow / how to go faster)

— 3:00pm-3:30pm — Graduation Ceremony (Review of weekend skills, Q&A session, group photo)

— 3:30pm — Official on-bike camp training is done. At this time, you are free to hang around and get in some extra credit riding or pack up and head back home to the real world.

What’s included:

Bike Assembly and Packing (if required)

Skills Instruction

Not Included:

Accommodations*

Airfare

Transportation to and from Airport

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Bike Transportation

If you prefer to rent a bike, we can help you with arrangements.

*We highly recommend you book your stay with Mulberry Gap as this will serve as our home-base for the camp. We also encourage you to make meal reservations! The home cooked meals at Mulberry Gap will not disappoint. There are other hotels in the area – check out Ellijay and Chatsworth (both are about 3o mins away).

Feedback From Our Last Mulberry Gap Camp :::

“The instructors were attentive and always helpful. After learning the fundamental and intermediate skills in the practice area, we hit the trails and the training didn’t stop! Instructors would get to a technical portion of a trail and have us all stop and they would show us how to use the skills we just learned. The camp was worth every penny, highly recommended!” ~Vic D.
“I’m so glad I made the decision to be part of the Ninja Mulberry Gap 3-day camp. Richard and Randy are really skilled at breaking things down, very patient and kind. They were very attentive to what each of us needed individually while maintaining a no-pressure, fun vibe. The place is beautiful, rustic and offers a great opportunity to unplug. I have gained some useful insight about not only being on the bike, but set-up and nutrition as well.” ~Susan T.
“I attended the Ninja Mountain Bike Performance camp at Mulberry Gap with my wife and 20-year-old son. Both are strong and athletic, but lacked experience in mountain biking. Thus, I have always been reluctant to take them on more technical trails. The instructors had them practicing berms, balance beams, and drops before hitting the trails where they put those skills to good use. They were clearing technical terrain in no time! After a weekend of training they improved so impressively that I can’t wait to take them on some of my favorite trails!” ~Armando de A.
“The accommodations at Mulberry Gap Get-A-Way were out of this world! The trails are top-quality too and incredibly fun to ride and teach on. Between Pinhoti, Bear Creak and the Mulberry Gap skills progression area, we had all the terrain and features we needed to really help everyone take their riding to the next level. We can’t wait to go back!” ~Richard La China, Lead Instructor
“The trail network surrounding Mulberry Gap is broad and combined with the well thought out skills area provides plenty of opportunities for teaching a wide array of mountain bike skills. I enjoy providing foundational skills, applying and analyzing them during trail sessions, and presenting genuine feedback prepares camp participants with the necessary tools to navigate diverse terrain.” ~Ryan Brown, Assistant
“Trails full of flow, rock, roots, technical switchbacks, drops, challenging accents and fast descents. The riding here was incredible and such a welcomed change for me coming from the desert of Southern California. I look forward to going back in the spring for our next camp.” ~Randy Inglis, Lead Instructor